Back to School 2024: Roanoke, Va.

On Monday Zūm held an event in Roanoke, Va., to kick off the 2024-25 school year for its new team of drivers and staff.

This marks the first school year of Zum’s partnership with Roanoke City Public Schools. In March, the school district awarded Zum a five-year student transportation contract.

“In addition to our fleet of brand new school buses, new facilities and state-of-the-art technology, we have assembled a highly trained and outstanding team that is eager to deliver safe, reliable transportation to families and schools,” said Liz Sanchez, Executive Vice President of Student Transportation at Zum. “We’re thrilled by our new partnership with Roanoke City Public Schools and look forward to serving this school community.”

Along with top-of-the-line equipment and advanced training programs, all Zum drivers use an easy-to-use technology platform that includes:

• AI technology that optimizes routes based on student location, traffic and school schedules, meaning students travel fewer miles and spend less time on the road.
• Important information about students on their assigned routes. Routes are adjusted in real time to account for absent students and traffic issues.
• A state-of-the-art AI camera system for training, coaching and student safety.
• GPS tracking, vehicle diagnostics and a driver tablet for navigation, tracking student attendance and keeping tabs on items left behind on the bus.
• Digital inspection and driver performance reports.

“Zum is bringing a state-of-the-art platform,” Chris Perkins, Chief Operations Officer of Roanoke City Public Schools, told news station WDBJ at the kickoff event. “Children will be able to tap their IDs when they get on a bus. Their parents can follow that student from the time they are picked up to the time they are dropped off and see where they are dropped off.”

“We have spent months hiring and training drivers and making sure our buses, equipment and technology are ready for the school year,” said John Gray, Roanoke General Manager at Zum. “We take pride in establishing an excellent workplace culture and program, and our team is eager to provide safe, reliable rides to and from school every day.”

Zum manages and operates safe, reliable and tech-enabled student transportation in 14 states nationwide.